The Chibineko Kitchen

Kotoko follows the bank of the Koitogawa river to the beach, then a path of white seashells, to the tiny Chibineko Kitchen by the sea. Chibi, the restaurant cat, meets her at the door. Kotoko is grieving her older brother, and she has been told the food here can bring someone lost back for one last time. She meets other diners: Taiji, a primary school boy confused by his first love's disappearance, and Yoshio, an elderly peanut farmer mourning his wife. Kai, the young chef, is taking over the business alone. The novel is about grief and comforting food.

Why You Should Read?

• Meet Kotoko, Taiji, Yoshio and Kai, four people whose stories meet at one small restaurant by the sea.
• Explore grief through a young woman who lost her older brother and a farmer mourning his wife.
• Enjoy a story where steaming bowls of food nourish and soothe the diners and remind them what matters most.
• Discover the four recipes included in the book, alongside a story centred on food and cats.